The Seven Heavenly Virtues
by kamikumai
Summary: Sequel to The Seven Deadly Sins, this time exploring Sam and Dean's thoughts on each other and their relationship through doubledrabbles set to the Seven Heavenly Virtues. Warning: Wincest. Spoilers: Through to Season 2 Finale.


**A Word from the Author:** When I wrote this it was intended as an accompanyment to "The Seven Deadly Sins," which I would recommend you read first, if you haven't already. Then again, I... think this might also work as a stand alone, but... Yeah.

Anyway, like "The Seven Deadly Sins" each passage is set to a virtue and is exactly 200 words long, except for the last which, again, is 400. I tried to keep each of the passage original and hopefully different... So, without any further ado. Enjoy!

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**Seven Heavenly Virtues**

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**Faith**

Ever since he was little, Sam believed in Angels. Every night before going to bed he said a prayer. _Dear Lord, send your Angels to watch over us, to keep us safe and to always bring Dean back to me, safe and sound, no matter what. Amen._

Rinse and repeat, as many times as needed, if only so Sam could get through the day.

Some days were harder than others. Take this one. He'd come so close to losing Dean. _Again_. When Dean had taken that hit, his legs seeming to crumple right out from under him, Sam could have sworn his heart stopped. It wasn't until a second later that he remembered who he was, and where he was, probably because a world without Dean in it wasn't really worth much to him. And a world without Dean in it, well… That was one where Sam probably wasn't really worth much either.

The sight of pained movement and Dean's loud groan managed to jump start Sam's heart, causing it to thunder in his chest.

At times like these, all Sam can get through on is faith.

Then again, if there's anyone in this world worth believing in…

It's Dean.

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**Charity **

Dean loathed the thought of being a charity case. He had his pride, his dignity, which to him was worth more than most would be able to give. As these things knew no equal, there was very little that Dean would consider 'charity'.

Nonetheless, Dean would find himself thinking, charity was just a euphemism for sacrifice. But even then someone paid the price. Charity, _sacrifice_, simply meant the payer wouldn't be you. Because of this, sacrifice was an activity that Dean himself was allowed to partake in, but God forbid if someone he loved tried.

Because each time someone else sacrificed to save you, they took a piece of you with them. As they say nothing lost is nothing gained. You must give so as to receive. It's just that Dean wasn't sure how much he had left to give.

It's because of this hard learnt fact of life that Dean never ever wanted to see anyone die for him. Not again, never again.

_Especially _as the only one left who would was the only one left who really mattered. Then again, all that was left of Dean already belonged to that person.

No amount of sacrifice could change that.

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**Hope**

Given the time to think, Sam would often liken his life to Pandora's Box…

Once upon a time, the Winchesters lived the life of a happy family. Until, one night, when the full moon rose into blackened skies, a wicked demon sent a message, scribed in innocent's blood; one that perhaps should never have been opened. Yet, the need of the Father to avenge his Wife took hold of him, so he looked, the curtain held back for him by an ancient Mystic.

Once the box was opened, all the miseries and evils that afflicted mankind were brought to the Father's knowledge. And so his quest began…

But what of those whom he had once called family? He raised them, his sons, to be warriors against the darkness that was invading their land. But in taking this path, his own was damned, and tragedy struck their family once again. With his eldest son upon death's bed, the Father gave his life, his soul, instead.

But as most warriors of old had, the brothers in each other's arms, found strength. And in doing so, beyond the miseries and evils, the plagues of ever growing darkness and malevolent dissent…

They found hope.

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**Prudence **

From time to time, Dean wondered if what they were doing was wise. Dean knows how wrong the mere concept of him and Sam together would be to the world. Usually, he's too far gone, too much in love, to care. It's only when Sam gets that heartbreakingly wistful look in his eyes, when they see families happy, laughing, _being_, that Dean feels guilt gnaw at him.

One day it gets to the point where Dean can't take it anymore. He has to do something to lessen the pain he sees in those eyes as they stare at another family passing by. Before he can stop himself, the words escape him. "Do you regret this?"

Startled, by Dean's voice or perhaps the words themselves, Sam swivels, those eyes of his burning. "What makes you think that?" He demands.

"It's just…"

And somehow Sam seems to understand, and those eyes soften.

"Never," he proclaims.

And that's all Dean needs to hear.

If what they were doing wasn't wise, Sam should've already told him otherwise. After all, prudence has never really been Dean's forte. And for what it's worth, Dean doesn't think it ever will be.

He'll always have Sam for that.

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**Fortitude **

Sam knows how to stay strong. Ever since he learnt to walk, he's been taught how to be strong. It's not until he leaves, though, that he comes to learn that what he thought was strength is but one kind. Until that point in time, he'd learnt only physically strength and, to some degree, moral.

The day he left Dean behind was the day he realized just how weak he really was. If only he'd known then that more often than not it's those who love you that make you strong, maybe he'd have had the strength of mind, the courage, to bend. The only strength he'd had back then would've broken him. So instead he took the path of cowardice. As it turned out, the path of a coward is often the hardest of all.

However, the pain and adversity he experienced has now forged within him a greater strength than he had ever thought he would possess. And on the rare occasion that Sam finds himself unable to be strong, Dean is there for him, an unshakeable pillar of support.

Sam knows how to accept the strength of another as his own.

He knows how to stay strong.

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**Justice**

The feel of the Colt going off in his hand, resounds deep within him, and he thinks, _Justice has been a long time coming_. And it's true, how long have they waited for this moment? For this precise intersection of paths on the road named destiny? Dean isn't usually one to wax romantic, but the euphoria of this moment is making his head spin, though that could just be a result of having slammed it into something solid a little while back. Things are a little fuzzy. But clear in his mind is the thought, _we did it!_

If only it could have come sooner. Dean quickly stamped down on the thought. He was grateful, really. They were alive, and that's how it was meant to be. That's all they needed.

Sleep seemed to be catching up on him, when suddenly there were hands everywhere, warm and big and familiar. Dean breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of sweat, blood and worry, all the while simply thinking _Sammy… Love you…_ and taking joy from the fact that these were scents of life.

It was only fair that they could take some time to explore some of the finer scents later…

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**Temperance**

Temper.

Indeed both have much.

Temperaments.

Indeed both are complex.

Temperance.

Indeed together there is little

That stands a change against them.

For Sam and Dean, they are to one another a systematic balance that in spite of all its irregularities and anomalies holds strong an insurmountably holistic worth. Dean helps keep Sam sharp, on his toes, ready for battle. And Sam softens the hard, inhuman edges that Dean's developed over the years, the toughened outer shell that was designed to keep people out. Then again, Dean acknowledges that Sam was already pretty sharp to begin with. And Sam knows that Dean only ever lets go enough to let Sam in. They know this, and for them, as they are now, knowledge is understanding.

These concessions brought about because of their awareness of one another are very much shared. When one gives the other receives, but only so that he may give in return. Their existence has become so very co-dependant. As such, it's not so much that Sam is Sam and Dean is Dean, but that they are, and can only ever be, Sam and Dean.

This is probably because they are now equals. In all things. But more than that, they both know what it's like to be alone. It's not until after they learn what it's like to be whole that they realize just how alone they truly were, even when they were with others, even when they were with each other. Because before is nothing like now. Though side by side, they were nonetheless separated and divided, and as the years moved on, so did they, drifting incrementally apart. Then came the great divide, and four years of hollowness followed, hollowness filled, but unfulfilled, with excesses that did nothing but bring them both to their knees.

Slowly, but surely, they stood again. Slowly, but surely, they leant against each other and found support. The entirety far great than its parts. It took time, but soon enough, everything slid into place. And each and every shift in their relationship simply served to bring them closer to the pinnacle of unity.

Steel must be tempered before it is strong. Sam and Dean have known this all along, and at long last, they have forged within each other a bond that cannot be broken.

To be to another as they are to you, integral and essential.

Always and forever.

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End file.
